There are many instances when it is desirable to have a stereoscopic view of the coronary arteries. For example, an intraluminal device such as a balloon or stent must be navigated through the coronary arterial tree to a diseased location in an artery. Stereoscopic monitoring of the location of the device in the arterial tree assists the angiographer in navigating the device through the coronary tree.
In order to obtain a stereoscopic view of the coronary arteries, it is known to obtain two two-dimensional images of the arteries from different perspectives. The two images are then presented to a viewer for stereoscopic viewing as is known in the art.
Angiographic imaging of the coronary arteries involves introducing a radio-opaque substance into one or more coronary arteries. An x-ray source is directed to the heart. An x-ray recorder, such as x-ray film or an x-ray camera, located behind the heart thus record an image of the coronary arteries from this perspective. To obtain a second image from another perspective, the x-ray source and recorder may be rotated about the heart to a new position and a second image of the coronary arteries obtained. It is also known to produce a pair of images of the coronary arteries from different perspectives without moving the x-ray source or recorder by taking advantage of the fact that when the heartbeats, it rotates slightly. A cineangiographic system having a stationary x-ray video camera is used to produce and record a sequence of images of the coronary arteries over at least one systole-diastole or diastole-systole transformation of the heart. A pair of images in the video record is then selected from the sequence presenting images of the coronary arteries from different perspectives due to rotation of the heart. However, the angular displacement of the perspectives of the two images cannot be greater than the rotational angle of the heart in a single diastole-systole or systole-diastole transformation (about 1°). This small angular displacement of the two perspectives does not produce a satisfactory stereoscopic effect.